This invention relates to golf clubs, and, more particularly, to golf club heads and shafts that are coated with a wear-resistant, impact-resistant, colorful coating.
A golf club includes an elongated shaft with a hand grip at one end, and a golf club head attached to the other end of the shaft. There are basically three types of clubs--the drivers, the irons, and the putters. Older-style shafts were made of wood, and current shafts are made of metal or composite materials. Golf club heads are made of wood or metals such as steel or titanium alloys. The player uses the golf club by grasping a hand grip on the shaft, swinging the club, and impacting a golf ball with the club head. At the point of impact on the club head face, the club head is subjected to large forces. The present invention deals with improving golf club heads and shafts, and golf clubs made using the improved golf club heads and shafts.
In a highly competitive golf club industry, clubs must be distinctive and functional. It is a common practice for club manufacturers to apply paints, organic coatings, or paint-like coatings, collectively termed "paints" herein, to their clubs with "signature" colors and/or patterns that allow the easy identification of the clubs and their association with the manufacturer. The paints also protect the clubs against corrosion.
A major trend in the golf industry is to the use of titanium club heads for metal woods and titanium shafts in some applications. Paints do not, as a general rule, adhere well to titanium. Some manufacturers therefore clear coat the titanium heads with an organic coating and others apply a three-layer coating of primer, pigmented coatings, and clear overcoat. But, even then, the paint applied to the club head face may quickly chip or be worn away after only a few strokes. Even scraping the club head against gravel, sand, or other objects may damage the paint. When the paint is damaged, the protection of the paint is lost, and the customer, who may have paid a substantial amount for the club, may have the perception of an inferior-quality club.
In an attempt to overcome this problem, the quality and toughness of paints have been improved over the years, and painting techniques have also improved. Surface treatments other than paints have been developed, such as ceramic coatings for titanium club heads. While such surface treatments yield improvements, it is difficult to impart to them the color and other features of paints.
There is therefore a need for an improved approach to the protection of metallic golf club heads that is both decorative and functional. The same need is found for metallic shafts. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.